Why do kids not like to zip their jackets.

Scottish Jodi

I am new to this forum so first of all here is a bit about myself. I am a student that is currently doing a college course on childcare and also babysit my twin 5yr old sisters. The college is good regarding this because they let me off at 3pm so that I can pick the girls up (they finish at 3.30pm. My parents work so I get the girls ready for school then walk them to school and back home again.

When I am walking the girls to school and when I am at the gate waiting at pick up time, I notice that about 80% of the children are coming out with jackets wide open, even when its a day of pouring rain or during the freezing cold winter months.

My sisters are the same, they will attempt to go outside with their jackets wide open but I just say to them "look at the weather, you don't get outside until these jackets are zipped and the hood is up". At pick up, they come out the same way so, I firmly say "look at this weather, get these jackets zipped up and put the hood up, you know that we want them jackets zipped so you should do that in the cloakroom, doel your teachers not ask you to do that".

So, my question is, why do kids not zip their jackets and instead rely on parents or guardians to ask them?

s4uv3

Because they're kids. They have the attention span of a two week old puppy, and they don't feel the cold.

Big Bag of Chips

Maybe they're not as cold as you feel?
Weather hasn't been bad recently. Certainly not bad enough to warrant zips and hoods up. Why not let them make this small decision themselves? Why not give them the chance to figure out for themselves if they need their coat tied up.

Children learn better by doing themselves rather than being told. So let them go outside with their coats open. If they complain of the cold they'll soon figure out a solution. By constantly telling them what to do before they figure it out you are in fact limiting their learning and independence.

Scottish Jodi

Big Bag of Chips wrote: »

Maybe they're not as cold as you feel?
Weather hasn't been bad recently. Certainly not bad enough to warrant zips and hoods up. Why not let them make this small decision themselves? Why not give them the chance to figure out for themselves if they need their coat tied up.

Children learn better by doing themselves rather than being told. So let them go outside with their coats open. If they complain of the cold they'll soon figure out a solution. By constantly telling them what to do before they figure it out you are in fact limiting their learning and independence.

I would but I have instructions from parents that they have to fasten up their jackets.

Big Bag of Chips

That's fine. But you're asking why children don't do it themselves. The answer is because others tell them to do it before they get a chance to figure it out themselves.

Scottish Jodi

Big Bag of Chips wrote: »

That's fine. But you're asking why children don't do it themselves. The answer is because others tell them to do it before they get a chance to figure it out themselves.

For what its worth, I kind of see your point of view but don't want my parents to think I'm not capable of babysitting my sisters.

I do, however, see where my parents are coming from also because its them that would have extra washing of wet clothes that would not have been the case if the girls jackets were fastened up.

Maybe I should have asked, why won't my twin sisters not obey parents and fasten their jackets after school?

Big Bag of Chips

It's not a case of them not obeying. They are not deliberately defying your parents. They're 5. They're coming out after a full day of school, glad to be going home. Fastening their coats is not a priority for them. Coats don't need to be fastened every day, anyway.

Give your sisters a little bit of freedom to figure things out for themselves. A small bit of cold, or a few drops of rain won't cause any last damage. I have children ranging in age from 13 to 4. I did absolutely everything for the first, and not so much for the last. The last is far more independent, competent and capable than their older sibling. (relatively speaking!) The oldest even comments on how capable the youngest is. And it's because I didnt follow her around doing every tiny thing for her like I did with the older ones.

Children need to be given small amounts of independence and personal responsibility as they grow up in order to learn how to be personally responsible. If they are not allowed that space then it shouldn't be surprising that they don't have or understand personal responsibility.

Scottish Jodi

Big Bag of Chips wrote: »

It's not a case of them not obeying. They are not deliberately defying your parents. They're 5. They're coming out after a full day of school, glad to be going home. Fastening their coats is not a priority for them. Coats don't need to be fastened every day, anyway.

Give your sisters a little bit of freedom to figure things out for themselves. A small bit of cold, or a few drops of rain won't cause any last damage. I have children ranging in age from 13 to 4. I did absolutely everything for the first, and not so much for the last. The last is far more independent, competent and capable than their older sibling. (relatively speaking!) The oldest even comments on how capable the youngest is. And it's because I didnt follow her around doing every tiny thing for her like I did with the older ones.

Children need to be given small amounts of independence and personal responsibility as they grow up in order to learn how to be personally responsible. If they are not allowed that space then it shouldn't be surprising that they don't have or understand personal responsibility.

As I said, I have been given instruction by parents to make sure the coats are fastened. I have spoken with parents about this issue a lot of times, when the girls are asleep or at gymnastics class, but I just get shot down and told, "you will obey our instructions, the girls are 5, jackets get fastened, end of discussion". I see them (parents) being this arrogant until the girls reach high school age.

Big Bag of Chips

So stop trying to blame your 5 year old sisters and just do what your parents have asked of you.

Hopefully in your childcare course you will learn a bit more about children and how to get the best our of them.

c.p.w.g.w

Because Han solo and Indian Jones always sported the open jacket thing

https://goo.gl/images/q2LNhC

https://goo.gl/images/arzj4J

Scottish Jodi

Big Bag of Chips wrote: »

So stop trying to blame your 5 year old sisters and just do what your parents have asked of you.

Hopefully in your childcare course you will learn a bit more about children and how to get the best our of them.

I am not trying to blame them, I'm just asking how I can get them to understand and obey that parents want them to have their jackets fastened up. One thing I don't do is blame them for not fastening them, I'm just frustrated that parents want them fastened because, if I had my way, it would be up to my sisters to decide.

Big Bag of Chips

When you have your own children you can do that. Your parents have decided this is what they want. So just remind your sisters to tie their jackets. And everyone is happy.

Scottish Jodi

Big Bag of Chips wrote: »

When you have your own children you can do that. Your parents have decided this is what they want. So just remind your sisters to tie their jackets. And everyone is happy.

:thumbup:

KERSPLAT!

Do they refuse when you ask them to zip up?

Scottish Jodi

KERSPLAT! wrote: »

Do they refuse when you ask them to zip up?

No, they sulk then obey the command and fasten the jacket.

KERSPLAT!

I don't see the issue then. They're 5 after all, they aren't really bothered by the weather and have better things to be worrying about likely their favorite colour and the new song they learned in school.

My little fella is 4. If I ask him to take a jumper off because I know he's warm he'll want to keep it on, if I tell him to put a coat on because I know it's cold he'll want to leave it off. Maybe it's a sense of "I know best" that they feel. Unless it's extreme I'll just leave him to it. He'll figure out himself if he's too warm or cold.

I understand in your instance it's your parents but they're doing what they're told so I don't see the issue.

KERSPLAT!

As an aside, you sound very authoritarian with your use of the phrase "command".

Scottish Jodi

KERSPLAT! wrote: »

As an aside, you sound very authoritarian with your use of the phrase "command".

Feel free to pm me with your issues or advice .

KERSPLAT!

Scottish Jodi wrote: »

Feel free to pm me with your issues or advice .

No issue just an opinion

pwurple

They are probably simply too hot.

We overdress the heck out of children here. My overriding memory of childhood clothes is being uncomfortably hot the whole time. Every photo of me as a child has us zipped up like Michelen men, bright red faces, overheated. It has yet to get cold here. It was what, 9, 10, 11 degrees all this week in January? No frost even.

Children run around a lot more than adults and are warmer. By overdressing them, we restrict their ability to run around. Pointless.


My children are not commanded to wear coats if they are not cold. They ask for one when they are cold, and put on a raincoat if it is raining.

Scottish Jodi

I just thought it might be interesting for you guys to know what sort of jackets the girls have, so, its this jacket in Burgundy and Navy .


https://shop.resultclothing.com/product_info.php?products_id=875.

afkasurfjunkie

Scottish Jodi wrote: »

I just thought it might be interesting for you guys to know what sort of jackets the girls have, so, its this jacket in Burgundy and Navy .


https://shop.resultclothing.com/product_info.php?products_id=875.

Ya, I’m not going to click on that.
Have you posted about this topic before? Sounds very familiar.

Big Bag of Chips

There was a poster a few years ago who had a very unhealthy obsession with her daughter zipping up her jacket, and jackets in general

Winter approaching
Winter jacket ideas
Am I right to insist on done up jacket

seamus

They're five, they don't care about their jackets being zipped up. Obeying their parents is not a priority for them.

If this is something that's really wrecking your head, then you make a game out of it. Have penny sweets or something in your pocket, and tell them that whoever has their jacket zipped up when you pick them up, will get a reward. Eventually they'll get the hang of it.

Some children & adults also don't look outside and think, "I need a jacket before I can go out there". I am one of these people and so is my daughter. She would go out in the snow wearing a t-shirt if we let her. If it's freezing outside and I need to go out to the car to get something, I won't bother wrapping up. I'm going to be outside for 3 minutes, I'm not going to die because I've only got a t-shirt on. My wife on the other hand will stick on her coat and hat and heavy socks to make the same trip.

My mother-in-law will put jackets on the kids to walk 3 metres out to the car and then take them off again to get into their car seats. The obsession some people have with coats and being cold is bizarre.

As kids get older you start to understand that what's a priority for you, may not be a priority for them, and may not ever be a priority for them. They have their own personality and their own way of doing things. Rather than get annoyed about that, you have to work with it and adjust your approach. It results in far less stress.

catrionanic

My boy will be two in a few weeks and goes mad if his jacket isn't zipped up as he dislikes the feeling of it being open. They are all different.

Wabbit Ears

I have to tell my son to do up his jacket a flippin insane amount of times. He'd be out playing foot ball with it literally falling off his shoulders so hes basically got his arms tied behind him and he still wont do it himself. I just go over and end up zipping it up for him. He wouldn't even wear a jacket if we didn't make him.


so in short. kids don't give a toss about coats.

shesty

Because parenting is basically endlessly repeating the same thing over and over and over because kids do not think like adults.
Literally-that is why.I say the same (boring) ten or twenty phrases every single day to my kids.Dress yourself, put your rubbish in the bin, pick up what you have thrown on the floor, don't forget your coat, let's wash your teeth, eat what is on the plate blah, blah,blah.Kids do not have the focus that adults do, your course will probably teach you that.Coats aren't a priority for five year olds-what the kid behind them is saying/doing, and how quickly they can get out the door is their interest.They live in the here and now.
My response to my pair when they complain about wearing/closing coats is 'let me know when you are cold".
It usually happens within 2 mins, and eliminates the row.

Scottish Jodi

afkasurfjunkie wrote: »

Ya, I’m not going to click on that.
Have you posted about this topic before? Sounds very familiar.

No, I only registered on the site last night!

Hoboo

Big Bag of Chips wrote: »

There was a poster a few years ago who had a very unhealthy obsession with her daughter zipping up her jacket, and jackets in general

Winter approaching
Winter jacket ideas
Am I right to insist on done up jacket

Strangely in the second link you quoted, the second poster down provides a link for the OP of that thread to the same site that the OP on this thread has provided for where her sisters jackets are from.

When something doesn't seem right, it's generally not.

Scottish Jodi

Hoboo wrote: »

Strangely in the second link you quoted, the second poster down provides a link for the OP of that thread to the same site that the OP on this thread has provided for where her sisters jackets are from.

When something doesn't seem right, it's generally not.

I think you'll find that I said that it was that jacket, I did not say it was from that site!!

Hoboo

Scottish Jodi wrote: »

I think you'll find that I said that it was that jacket, I did not say it was from that site!!

You're right. Which is remarkable that you'd use the exact same site to give an example.

5 year olds mixing with 11 year olds (who carry scissors)

Jackets put in bins but not retrieved.

No one notices the girls jackets missing until they say it at bedtime (it's January, first thing you'd notice)

Parents tell 5 year olds to arrange a meeting with the school themselves to make a complaint.

You see why I'm just a tad skeptical?